Air conditioning system



AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM pt. 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filav se `INVENTOR Aprii 16, 1935.

H. MATTHEWS `E-r AL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 16, l1,935

PATENT OFFICE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Herbert Matthews and Robert J. seater,

Battle Creek, .Mich.

Application September 18, 1933,v Serial No. 689,840

' 9 claims. (o1. zei- 90) The main objects of this inventionare:

First, to provide an improved air conditioning system comprising means for successively filtering, washing, moistening, and heating the air.

Second, to provide an air washer having improved centrifugal means for quite uniformly distributing the Water in a screen or curtain across the path of the air.

Third, to provide a tting comprising a plurality o f diverging nozzles for supplying the interior of the water impeller with water.

Fourth, to provide a water supply system ar- Y ranged so that water is supplied to a plurality of impellers without the possibility of 'one of the branchesY acting as an injector and diverting the water away from another.

Fifth, to provide an air washer having improved baiiiing and water collecting means for preventingv the air current from picking up drops of water.

Sixth, to provide an air conditioning system having the above desirable features and -characteristics and which is very eflicient in operation.

Objects relating to details and economies of our invention will appear `from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an air conditioning system embodying the features of our invention, a portion of the air receiving chamber being` broken away to show the contents thereof.

Fig. 2 is a view-in side elevation of the combined air blower and washer, portions being broken away and shown in'vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation and section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentaryhorizontal section of the air washer.

In the embodiment of our invention illustrated in the-drawings, numeral I represents an air receiving chamber insulatedagainst sound and vibration andjarranged in series lwith the cold air A ticles of dust and from the air to be con--l ditioned.

The combined'air 'Washing and unit 8 comprises a rotary fan or blower 9 for the air into the unit throughthecylindrical casimpeller I 6v for rotation with the shaft.

vis driven by. the electric motor I3 by me ns of the pulley I4 and belt I5. 'Ihe motor I3 is preferably automatically controlled by suitable means no t shown which form no part of this invention. At each end of the unit, the shaft I2 is provided with an outwardly facing dished centrifugal water Each water impeller has a series of concentric annular steps I 1 of progressively increasing diameter, the outer walls or peripheries of these stepsbeing preferably quite sharply curved. Water vis discharged against the inner step and is carried outwardly by centrifugal force, the curved outer wall of the step serving to distribute the water, that is, toprevent its being thrown olf in defined streams as distinguished from being uniformly distributed in a sheet-like curtain or spray substantially uniform throughout the circumference of the impeller. The series of concentric steps as in the embodiment illustrated accomplishes this result very effectively although the water pressure may vary considerably.

Water is supplied to the interior of the.im pellers by a water feed system consisting of an inverted T-tting I8 arranged below the level of the impellers and havinga feed pipe I9 con nected to its stem 20. Branch conduits 2|, 2l are connected to the ends of the T -tting and terminate in special fittings 22 having diverging nozzles 23, 23 delivering tothe impellers. The nozzles are arranged above the vlevel'of the T- fitting to prevent one nozzle from lacting as a syphon and drawing the water from the other. The nozzles terminate in a plane parallel to and spacedfrom the plane of the impeller as illustrated by Fig. 4. This insures an adequate supply of distributed water to `the interior of each impeller.

Each of the special fittings 22 is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 24 which is adjustably carried by the cross" bracket 25, the ends of which are connected to the trough 26 by theV bolts 21. The 4arm is secured in acusted posi` tion to the bracket by the clamp 28 which is secured to the bracket by the bolts 29. 'VI/'ithl the parts thusarranged, the position of thev` nozzles 23,23 relative to the impeller I6 can be readily adjusted and secured adjustedpo-y sition. W"

Each of the cylindrical casings I0, I0 has an` outturned end flange 30 to which is secured,`v asby-welding aninner inclined baille 3|. Th

inner edge of the baffle 3! is provided with an inturned flange 32 forming a water collecting and directing trough or channel for preventing the same from dropping into the air current. The water collecting trough 26 surrounds the impeller and is of inwardly facing V-section and is secured to the casing I0 in spaced relation to its end flange 30 to provide an annular channel 33 which returns the collected water to the bottom of the trough. The outer edge of the trough has an inturned fiange 34 forming a water directing channel for preventing the collected water from dripping into the air current.

As illustrated by Fig. 4, the back of the water impeller is in the plane of the angle of the trough. This places the discharging edge of the water impeller in a vertical plane in front of the forward edge of the baiiie 3| so that the curtain of water thrown out by thef impeller is discharged against the rearwardly inclined wall of the trough 26. This tends to direct the water to the rear of the portion of the baie projecting into the trough and minimizes splashing into the air current. Thus, the air is prevented from picking up drops of water and carrying them into the fan or blower. The collecting trough 26 is provided with a discharge or drain connection 35 at its bottom. v

'Ihe feed water pipe I9 is provided with an automatically controlled valve adapted for simultaneous operation with the motor I3. Since this control forms no part of our invention, it will not be described. A manually controlled regulating -valve 36 is also provided in the feed water pipe I9 for manually adjusting the quantity of water delivered to the unit and also for shutting off the water entirely if desired. The solenoid for controlling the automatic water control valve is indicated at 3l, Fig. 1. The unit is provided with a supporting base 38.

In operation, the air to be conditioned is drawn by the fan or blower into the receiving chamber through the air filter which removes the larger particles of lint and dirt, then through the spray of water which cleans and humidifles it and finally through the fan and into the furnace from which it is discharged in a clean, fresh, and hu-l midied condition. The fan circulates the air, the filter collects the large particles carried by the air, theair washer meistens and washes the air, and the furnace heats it. The temperature operated controls automatically start and stop the driving motor and water supply.

We have illustrated and described our mprovements in an embodiment which we have found very practical. We have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations, as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art toV embody or adapt our improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air conditioner comprising a dished centrifugal water impeller arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis, and means for supplying the interior of said impeller with water comprising a stationary fitting having a lateral inlet and a pair of diverging nozzles terminating in end outlets in a plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of the impeller and having a rearwardly extending arm, a cross bracket and a clamp associated with said cross bracket for clamping the arm of said tting in adjusted position with the nozzles spaced from the impeller as desired.

2. An air conditioner comprising a centrifugal water impeller, and means for supplying the interior of said impeller with water comprising a etang having a iat-@rai inlet and diverging nozzles terminating in end outlets in a plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of the impeller and having a rearwardly extending arm, a cross bracket and a clamp associated with said cross bracket/for clamping the arm of said impeller in adjusted -position with the end outlets of the nozzles spaced from the impeller as desired.

3. An air conditioner comprising an outwardly facing dished centrifugal water impeller arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis, a cylindrical casing having an outturned end flange, a water collecting trough of inwardly facing V-section on said casing and spaced from said flange, the plane of the face of said impeller being in the plane of the forwardly inclined wall of said trough, the cuter edge of the trough having an inturned ange forming a water directing channel, an inclined inner baille fixed to said end flange and having an inturned flange on its inner edge forming a water directing channel, means for supplying water to the face of said impeller, and means for establishing a current o f air through said trough into said casing.

4. An air conditioner comprising a cylindrical air conduit, a centrifugal water impeller having a plurality of concentric steps, an upwardly facing water collecting trough surrounding the impeller, the inner wall of said trough being mounted on said conduit in spaced relation/to its outer end so that the end of the conduit extends into the trough, and a rearwardly inclined annular bafiie mounted on the end of said trough with its outer edge projecting into the trough and in substantially the plane of the apex of the trough, the inner edge of the baille projecting into the conduit and terminating in a water collecting channel, the impeller being arranged to discharge upon the front wall of the trough, the front wall of the trough terminating in a water collecting channel.

5. An air conditioner comprising a cylindrical air conduit, a centrifugal water impeller having a plurality of concentric steps, an upwardly facing water collecting trough surrounding the impeller, the inner wall of said trough being mounted on said conduit in spaced relation to its outer end so that the end of the conduit extends into vthe trough, and a rearwardly inclined annular bale mounted on the end of said trough with its outer edge projecting into the trough and in substantially the plane of the apex of the trough, the impeller being arranged to discharge upon the front wall of the trough.

6. An air conditioner comprising a cylindrical air conduit, a dished centrifugal water impeller having a plurality of concentric steps, a water collecting trough of inwardly facing V-section, the inner wall of said trough being mounted on said conduit in spaced relation to its outer end so that the end of the conduit extends into the trough, and a rearwardly inclined annular baille mounted on the end of said conduit with its outer edge projecting into the trough and in substantially the plane of the apex of the trough, the inner edge of the baiiie projecting into the conduit and having an outwardly turned flange on its edge providing awater collecting channel, the plane of the face of the impeller being in the plane of the forwardly inclined front wall of the trough, the front wall of the trough having an inturned ilange on its front edge forming a water collecting channel.

7. An air conditioner comprising a cylindrical air conduit, a dished centrifugal water impeller having a plurality of concentric steps, a water collecting trough of inwardly facing V-section, the inner wall of said trough being mounted on said conduit in spaced relation to its outer end so that the end of the conduit extends into the trough, and a rearwardly inclined annular baie mounted on the end of said conduit with its outer edge projecting into the trough and in substantially the plane of the apex of the trough, the inner edge of the battle projecting into the conduit and having an outwardly turned flange on its edge providing a water collecting channel.

8. An air conditioner comprising a cylindrical air conduit, a Water impeller having a plurality of concentric steps, a water collecting trough of inwardly facing V-section, the inner wall of said trough being mounted on said conduit in spaced relation to its outer end so that the end of the conduit extends into the trough, and a rearwardly inclined annular baffle mounted on the end of said conduit with its outer edge projecting into the trough and in substantially the plane of the apex of the trough, the inner edge of the baille projecting into the conduit.

9. An air conditioner comprising an air conduit, means for drawing air into the end of said conduit, a centrifugal water impeller, an inwardly facing water collecting trough surrounding said impeller, the inner end of said trough being mounted on said conduit in spaced relation to its end, and an annular bale mounted on the front end of the conduit to provide a closed joint therebetween with .its front edge projecting into the trough and its inner edge projecting into the conduit.

HERBERT MATTHEWS. ROBERT J. SEATOR. 

